Fluid compressor



8 s m m mw w .w w -mw 5% N m M N. b/Mm 2 m VOH s hw. 3 1 /1L A ,l H mm Mk w Aug. 4, 1942. M. D KlczALEs ETAL FLUID COMPRESSOR Filed on. 3, 19401942- M. D, KICZALES E L 2,291,636

FLUID COMPRESSOR 7 Filed Oct. :5, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 3 /N VEN TORSFTTORNE Y Patented Aug. 4, 1942 FLUID COMPRESSOR Maurice D. Kiczales,Washington, D. 0., and I Kenneth R. Nisbet, Arlington, Va.

' Application October 3, 1940, Serial No. 359,474

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) 20 Claims.

The invention-described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to us ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to fluid compressors for refrigeration purposesand air supply and the primary object thereof is to provide a fluidcompressor which is compact having but few parts whereby the compressoris adapted to occupy but a small amount of space and which isconstructed in such a manner that a,wide latitude in the assembly of theparts thereof is permitted for various capacities desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid compressor havingparts which may be constructed at comparatively small expense, which hasits several parts assembled in a, manner as to minimize the opportunityfor wear, breakage or derangement and which is practical and efficientin use.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionconsists in certain features of construction and operation of partswhich will hereinafter appear and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of dual horizontally extending compressorunits, including gear assemblies covered by casings and directly drivenby a prime mover;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof having a belt drive;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a single vertical extending compressorunit and prime mover;

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view of Fig. 1 with the casings for thegear assemblies removed therefrom;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view through one gear assemblytaken on the line t8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 'l is an enlarged sectional detail view of a piston pinion used incarrying out the invention with cooperating parts of the piston pinionbroken away and illustrating the construction of the piston pinion andthe manner of rotatably supporting it on a compressor unit;

Fig. 8 is a front view of a master gear including a toothed ring alsoused in carrying out the invention; and

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view of the master I a prime mover Boperatively positioned between the dual compressor units and mounted ona floor or other suitable base I. The prime mover B, which may be of anysuitable type such as a gas or Diesel engine or electric motor, isprovided with flange portions 2 having integral end plates 3 thereon asillustrated in Fig. 5, and a shaft 4 extending from each end thereof.

The compressor units A may be operated by a belt drive as illustrated inFig. 2 wherein the inner ends of the compressor units are suitablyspaced leaving the central portion of a shaft 4' exposed. Upon thecentral portion of the shaft 4' is mounted a pulley 5, which is adaptedto be driven by a belt 6 which is in turn adapted to be driven by aprime mover (not shown).

It will be readily understood that only one compressor unit A driven byaprime mover B may be employed which may take the form illustrated inFig. 3 wherein one compressor unit and a prime mover are illustrated asextending in a vertical direction for use in places where only asmallamount of space is available.

Each of the compressor units A, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprisesa gear assembly indicated generally by C in Figs. 5 and 6, and acylinder assembly D. The gear assemblies C of the compressor units maybe enclosed within casings I as in Figs. 1 and 2, and the cylinderassemblies D, each comprises a plurality of cylinders 8, which arearranged in a squirrel cage manner around at ,intervals on a cylinderplate 9 provided on the outer end of each of the gear assemblies C, withthe cylinders 8 of one compressor unit A extending horizontallyoutwardin a diametrically opposite direction from the cylinders of theother compressor unit.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 5, which is a partial sectional viewof Fig. 1 with the casingsmaster or main beveled gear III which meshes.

with a plurality of beveled pinions H, each having a counterweight I2thereon, and rotatably mounted on a supporting member in the form of across bar l3 which extends across an integral end plate 3 on the flangeportion 2, and a cylinder plate 9 on the outer end of the gearassemblies C. The pinions H are arranged in mesh I supporting members l3and is provided with a reduced portion i5 thereon which is adapted tofit into a well I6 containing a washer I'I formed on each supportingmember. A reduced threaded end portion is is also provided on the outerend of the reduced portion i5 of each shaft ll of the pinions II, whichthreaded end portion l8 extends through one of the supporting membersand is held in place thereon by a washer and nut construction i 9. Thepinions II are also each provided with a suitably mounted piston pin orstud 20 which extends through an opening 29 formed in the pinions, asillustrated in Fig. 7.

The openings 29 in the pinions H are offset from the pinion shafts l4,whereby the piston pins 20 mounted therein are caused to serve as cranksfor imparting reciprocating movements through connecting rods 2| topistons 22 which are adapted to reciprocate in the cylinders I of thecylinder assemblies D. The piston pins 20 to which the inner ends of therods 2| are connected may be mounted at different radii from the centerof the pinions II to provide different lengths of strokes of the pistons22 by means of forming an additional opening 30 in each of the pinions,as illustrated in Fig. '7, which opening 30 is of a less radius to thecenter of the pinions than the opening 29 therein. It will be readilyunderstood that any suitable number of additional openings havingdifferent radii from the center of the pinions may be provided, wherebythe piston pins 20 may be mounted therein and the rods 2| connectedthereto for imparting different lengths of strokes to the pistons 22.

In order to absorb shock of the downward stroke of the master or maingear iii, an inner ring gear 23 having teeth 24 thereon, as moreparticularly illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, is provided thereon. The ringgear 23 is adapted to be adjusted rotatably on the master or main gearin an amount approximately equal to the back lash of the gear teeth 25on the master gear and after the ring gear 23 has been rotated asuflicient amount it maybe held in its adjusted position on the mastergear by means of rivets 26 or the like and may also be welded thereto asindicated at 21.

The number of cylinders 8 employed on the compressor units A is onlylimited by the number of pinions l I which may be operated by the mastergear l and hence the number of pistons 22 operated by the pinions, butthe preferred number of cylinders used will not exceed four for eachcompressor unit, as illustrated, thus the actual number will be one,two, three or four cylinders depending on the capacity required. In theevent the number of cylinders is less than four, the usual cylinderopenings 28 shown in Fig. in the cylinder base plates 9 are merelyplugged, and those cylinder openings abandoned or reserved for furtheruse.

It will be obvious that using cylinders of different sizes will permitan exceedingly large variation in compression capacity, as for example,one compressor unit A may have one, two, three or four cylinders, whichwith the belt drive as in Fig. 2 and the permissible speed variations byusing pulleys of different diameters, offers many different capacityratings. Then since the sec ond compressor unit A may be utilized withthe are further increased in a corresponding manner. Again with only twocylinder sizes as standard, the possible combinations are unlimited forpractical purposes. The direction of rotation of the prime mover B andhence the shafts d in Fig. i or the shaft 4' in Fig. 2, and the mastergear i0 and pinions ii is immaterial.

In employing the improved compressors they may be standardized by usingonly two differently rated gear assemblies C, each rating being based ona complete four cylinder assembly. There would be a maximum of fourpiston pinions II and one master gear "I for each compressor unit. Thediameter of the piston pinions should all be the same.

Each piston pinion II and master gear I. would be constructedessentially as described above and illustrated more particularly inFigs. 7 to 9 inclusive and'it would be preferable if the master gear Ibe nitrided and the piston pinions ll be case-hardened to equalize wearwhich would be negligible, if driven at a low speed and properlylubricated. The master gear ll may be nitrided by an aluminum alloysteel treated by ammonia gas at a relatively high constant temperature.In this case the treatment shall be such that the master gear Illexceeds that of the case-hardened piston pinions II by at least 20%.However, the master gear and piston pinions may be all case-hardened ormay be of the'chrome nickel steel type hardened all through or may be ofthe standard steel type since the speed thereof same pulley arrangement,the capacity ratings 76 is slow and may be properly lubricated. Underthese conditions, wear is not a matter of great importance, as it willbe negligible and even less so when nitrided.

It will thus be seen that there is herein provided a novel compressorwhich is well adapted for all the purposes indicated. Even though therehas been herein shown and described certain features of construction andoperation of parts, it is nevertheless to be understood that variouschanges may be made therein if the changes do not depart from theclaims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and wish to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame includingsupporting members. a plurality of cylinders mounted on said frame, apower driven shaft, a driving member mounted on said shaft, a pluralityof driven members arranged in spaced formation around and meshing withsaid driving member, said driven members mounted for rotation on saidsupporting members, pistons in said cylinders and rods connecting one ofeach of said driven members with one of each of said pistons.

2. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame includingsupporting members and an end member, a plurality of cylinders mountedon said end member, a power driven shaft, a driving gear mounted on saidshaft, a plurality of pinions directly meshing with said gear andmounted for rotation on said supporting members, said pinions arrangedaround on said gear at intervals with their axes at right anglesthereto, pistons in said cylinders and rods connecting one of each ofsaid pinions with one of each of said pistons.

3. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame includingsupporting members and an end plate, a plurality of cylinders mounted onsaid end plate at 90 intervals, a prime mover having a shaft thereon, adriving gear mounted on said shaft, said gear being at a right angle tosaid cyl- 'formation around and meshing with inders, a plurality ofpinions arranged in spaced said gear, said pinions mounted for rotationon said supporting members with their axes-at right angles to said gearand cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and rods connecting one of eachof said pinions with one of each of said pistons.

4. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame includingsupporting members and an end plate, a plurality of cylinders mounted onand extending from said end plate, a power driven shaft extending intosaid frame and in the same direction as said cylinders, a driving gearmounted on said shaft, a plurality of pinions arranged in spacedformation and meshing with said gear, said pinions mounted for rotationon said supporting members with their axes at right angles to said gearand cylinders, a counter-weight on each of said pinions, pistons in saidcylinders and rods connecting one of each of said pinions with one ofeach of said pistons.

5. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame includingsupporting members and an end plate, a plurality of cylinders mounted onand extending from said end plate, a power driven shaft extending intosaid frame and in the same direction as said cylinders, a main drivinggear mounted on said shaft, an auxiliary gear mounted on said main andauxiliary gear, a plurality of pinions arranged in spaced formationaround and meshing with said main gears, said pinion mounted forrotation on said supporting members with their axes at right angles tosaid main gear and cylinders, pistons in said cylinders and rodsconnecting one of each of said pinions with one of each of said pistons.

6. In dual fluid compressors, the combination of a prime mover includingshafts, one of each of said shafts extending from each end of the primemover, a gear assembly unit including a frame having supporting membersand an end plate thereon adjacent to each end of said prime mover, aplurality of cylinders mounted on the end plate of each of the gearassembly units, gears, one of each of said gears mounted on one of eachof said shafts, a plurality of pinions arranged in spaced formationaround and meshing with each of said gears, said pinions mounted forrotation on said supporting members of each of said gear assembly unitswith their axes at right angles to said gears, pistons in said cylindersand rods connecting one of each of said pinions with one of each of saidpistons.

7. In dual fluid compressors, the combination of a prime mover having ashaft extending from each end thereof, gear assembly units, one of eachof said gear assembly units including a frame having supporting membersand an end plate thereon adjacent to each end of said prime mover, aplurality of cylinders mounted on the end plate of one of each of saidgear assembly units, one of each of said shafts of said prime moverextending into one of each of the frames of said gear assembly units, amain bevel gear including an adjustably mounted bevel ring gear mountedon each of said shafts at right angles to said cylinders, a plurality ofbevel pinions having counterweights thereon, said pinions arranged inspaced formation around and meshing with said main and ring gears, saidpinions mounted for rotation on said supporting members with their axesat right angles to said main gears, pistons in said cylinders and rodscon necting one of each of said pinions with one of each of saidpistons.

8. In dual fluid compressors, the combination of a prime mover having ashaft extending from each end thereof, gear assembly units. one of eachof said gear assembly units including .a frame having supporting membersand an end plate thereon adjacent to each end of said prime mover, aplurality of cylinders mounted on the end plate of one of each of saidgear assembly units, one of each of said shafts of said prime moverextending into one of each of the frames of said gear assembly units, amain bevel gear including an adjustably mounted ring gear mounted oneach of said shafts at right angles to said cylinders, a plurality ofbevel pinions having counterweights thereon, said pinions arranged inspaced formation around and meshing with said main gears, said pinionsmounted for rotation on said supporting members with their axes at rightangles to said main gears, pistons in said cylinders, rods connectingone of each of said pinions with one of each of said pistons, and meansformed on each of said pinions for attaching said connecting rods atdifferent points thereon whereby said connecting rods are adapted toimpart different length of strokes to said pistons.

9. A fluid compressor comprising in combination, a frame, includngsupporting members, a driving member, and means for increasing orreducing the amount of compression produced by said compressor, saidmeans including a plurality of removable driven members mounted forrotation on said supporting members, said driven members arranged inspaced formation around and directly actuated by said driving member, aplurality of removable cylinders mounted on said frame, removablepistons in said cylinders and removable rods connecting one of each ofthe pistons with one of each of said driven members, whereby a number ofcylinders and pistons of various sizes may be used on the fluidcompressor for producing the amount of compression required.

10. A fluid compressor comprising in combination, a frame, includingsupporting members, a plurality of cylinders mounted on said frame in asquirrel cage manner, pistons in said cylinders, a plurality of drivenmembers arranged in spaced formation around and directly actuated bysaid driving member, said driven members mounted for rotation on saidsupporting members and rods connecting one of each of said drivenmembers with one of each of said pistons.

11. A fluid compressor comprising in combination, a frame, includingsupporting members, a plurality of cylinders mounted on said frame, apower driven master bevel gear, a plurality of bevel pinions arrangedinspaced formation around and meshing with said master bevel gear, saidpinions mounted for rotation on said supporting members, a stud on eachof said pinions, pistons in said cylinders, and rods connecting one ofeach of said pistons with one of each of the studs on one of each ofsaid pinions.

12. A fluid compressor comprising in combination, a frame, includingsupporting members, .a plurality of cylinders mounted on said frame, apower driven master bevel gear, a plurality of bevel pinions arranged inspaced formation around and meshing with said bevel gear, said pinionsmounted for rotation on said supporting members, a stud detachablymounted on one of each said pinions, pistons in said cylinders, rodsconnecting one of each of said pistons with one of each of the studs onone of each of said pinions,

and means formed in said pinions for attaching said studs at differentpoints thereon, whereby said rods may be connected at different pointson said pinions for imparting different lengths of strokes to thepistons in said cylinders.

13. A fluid compressor comprising in combination, a driving means havingshafts extending therefrom, each of said shafts having a bevel gearassembly operatively connected to a plurality of pistons, said pistonsoperating respectively by reciprocating motion in cylinders arranged ina squirrel cage manner about an axis coinciding with the axis of saiddriving means, each of said gear assemblies comprising three or morebevel gears arranged in spaced formation around and meshing with a mainbevel gear, said driving means being located between said gearassemblies.

14. Dual fluid compressors comprising in combination, a driving means,including ends having shafts extending in opposite directions therefrom,a gear assembly unit adjacent to each of the ends of said driving means,each of said gear assembly units including a bevel gear mounted on oneof said shafts, a plurality of bevel pinions arranged in spacedformation around and meshing with said bevel gear, said pinionsrotatably -mounted on said gear assembly unit with their axesat rightangles to said gear, pistons operatively connected to said pinions, saidpinions operating respectively by reciprocating motion in cylindersarranged about an axis coinciding with the axis of said driving means. I

15, A fluid compressor comprising in combination,a driving meansincluding ends having shafts extending in opposite directions therefrom,a gear assembly unit including a frame adjacent to each of the ends ofsaid driving means, each of said gear assembly units including a bevelgear mounted on one of said shafts, and a plurality of bevel pinionsarranged in spaced formation around and meshing with said bevel gear,said pinions rotatably mounted on said frame with their axes at rightangles to said shafts, pistons operatively connected to said pinions,said pistons operating respectively by reciprocating motion in cylindersarranged on said frame in a squirrel cage manner about an axiscoinciding with the axis of said driving means.

16. In a fluid compressor, the combination with a frame, a plurality ofcylinders mounted on said frame, a power driving member, a plurality ofdriven members quadrangularly arranged around and meshing with saiddriving member, said pinions mounted for rotation on said frame, pistonsmounted in said cylinders and connected to be operated by said drivenmembers.

17. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofcylinders mounted on said frame, a power driven main gear having a ringgear mounted thereon, a plurality of pinions quadrangularly arrangedaround and meshing with said main and ring gears, said pinions mountedfor rotation on said frame, pistons mounted in said cylinders andconnected to be operated by said pinions.

18. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofcylinders mounted on said frame, a main gear, a plurality of pinionsquadrangularly arranged around and meshing with said main gear, saidpinions having counterweights thereon and mounted for rotation on saidframe, pistons mounted in said cylinders and connected to be operated bysaid pinions.

19. In a fluid compressor, the combination of a frame, a plurality ofcylinders mounted on said frame, a main gear, a plurality of pinionsquadrangularly arranged around and meshing with said main gear,pistons-in said cylinders, rods connecting one of each of said pinionswith one of each of said pistons, and means forms-d on each of saidpinions for attaching said connecting rods at different points thereon,whereby said connecting rods are adapted to impart different length ofstrokes to said pistons.

20. A fluid compressor comprising in combination a driving means havingshafts extending therefrom, each of said shafts having a gear assemblyincluding a main gear, and a plurality of pinions quadrangularlyarranged around and meshing with said main gear, said pinionsoperatively connected to a plurality of pistons operating respectivelyby reciprocating motion in cylinders arranged about an axis coincidingwith the axis of said driving means.

KENNETH R. NISBET. MAURICE D. KICZALES.

